What's your favorite Elvis Costello song?

[christo]

I ask because I'm going to see EC tomorrow, and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas Eve. He's by far my favorite singer, and I've never seen him in concert before. He hasn't been to Pittsburgh in 15 years, so this is my first chance to see my hero in the flesh. It promises to be a magical evening for yours truly.

Anyone have a favorite song? The local music critic said that there's only one songwriter with a catalog to rival Costello's, and that's Bob Dylan. I agree wholeheartedly, but maybe I'm a bit biased.

I can't even answer my own question. "I Want You"? "Lipstick Vogue"? "Kinder Murder"? "Couldn't Call It Unexpected No.4"? "God Give Me Strength"?

I actually bought his new CD tonight "Cruel Smile". Think I'm gonna put it on right...now.

 

[alexandraaah]

At the moment, it's Green Shirt.

 

[Lancecastor]

Alison


Oh it's so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl.
And with the way you look I understand
that you are not impressed.
But I heard you let that little friend of mine
take off your party dress.
I'm not going to get too sentimental
like those other sticky valentines,
'cause I don't know if you've been loving somebody.
I only know it isn't mine.

Alison, I know this world is killing you.
Oh, Alison, my aim is true.

Well I see you've got a husband now.
Did he leave your pretty fingers lying
in the wedding cake?
You used to hold him right in your hand.
I'll bet he took all he could take.
Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking
when I hear the silly things that you say.
I think somebody better put out the big light,
cause I can't stand to see you this way.

Alison, I know this world is killing you.
Oh, Alison, my aim is true.
My aim is true.

 

[Guest]

 

[re_Mark_s]

"Alison" also.

That will now be the mental tune for the night.

 

[celiaKitten]

My fave.

"She"

If I could find someone who felt that way about me ... heh, I'd be in fantasyland..lol But, I love the song.

 

[tortoise]

The first 10 songs on Get Happy. All of them, in a row, no commercial interruptions. Easily my favorite Costello album.

 

[Jim_Henson]

Veronica

 

[miles]

Alison

 

[sufisaint]

Almost blue..

 

[bored1]

Veronica.......The video was one of the best I have ever seen.

 

[amelia]

Veronica

that's what i was gonna say.

"veronica sits in her favorite chair..she sits very quiet and still..they call her a name that they never get right and if they don't then no body else will."

 

[Shaq]

His renditon of "sex me" is amazing...

 

[427cobra]

that's what i was gonna say.

"veronica sits in her favorite chair..she sits very quiet and still..they call her a name that they never get right and if they don't then no body else will."

Same here. Extra points if anybody can guess the name of the very very very famous person who layed down the bassline.

 

[A Desert Rose]

Veronica.......The video was one of the best I have ever seen.

Mine too, bored1. And good to see you!

 

[Lancecastor]

Mild Hijack Alert: For some reason....

....this thread has put a Billy Bragg song in my head.

Valentine's Day Is Over


Some day boy you'll reap what you've sown
You'll catch a cold and you'll be on your own
And you will see that what's wrong with me
Is wrong with everyone that
You want to play your little games on

Poetry and flowers pretty words and threats
You've gone to the dogs again and I'm not placing bets
On you coming home tonight anything but blind
If you take me for granted then you must expect to find
Surprise, surprise

Valentine's Day is over, it's over
Valentine's Day is over

If you want to talk about it well you know where the phone is
Don't come round reminding me again how brittle bone is
God didn't make you an angel the Devil made you a man
That brutality and economy are related now I understand
When will you realise that as above so below there is no love

For the girl with the hour glass figure
Time runs out very fast
We used to want the same things but that's all in the past
And lately it seems that as it all gets tougher
Your ideal of justice just becomes rougher and rougher

Thank you for the things you bought me thank you for the card
Thank you for the things you taught me when you hit me hard
That love between two people must be based on understanding
Until that's true you'll find your things
All stacked out on the landing, surprise, surprise

 

[Laurel]

Watching The Detectives.

 

[427cobra]

Same here. Extra points if anybody can guess the name of the very very very famous person who layed down the bassline.

Oh come on! Nobody's even gonna try? I'll bet you'd be a little surprised.

 

[sunstruck]

Definitely She.

 

[Jim_Henson]

McCartney?

 

[Rambling Rose]

Beyond Belief
Shipbuilding
Poor Fractured Atlas

He'll be playing here November 5th. I have two tickets in the Mezzanine.

 

[kotori]

Watching The Detectives.

That's what I was going to say.

I had the great pleasure of seeing him in his first US tour, in December 1977, at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Max Weintraub was there in the audience--everybody was hoping that Bruce might show, but he didn't. A lot of CBS execs came down, among them, John Hammond. The guy who signed Billy Holliday, Bob Dylan, Bruce.

I posted photos that I took that night, somewhere back in the back pages. Wait a sec...

Here ya go

 

[christo]

Popped the CD in my computer and the video for "45" came on. Of course, my computer wouldn't play the damn thing correctly, I'll have to try it again later.

Don't recall many Elvis videos. I know there was one years & years ago for "The Only Flame in Town", another of my favorite EC songs, which was a duet with Daryl Hall. I don't remember much of it, but, uh, I guess it happened.

From "The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes"--

I said, I'm so happy I could die
She said, "Drop dead," and left with another guy

From "Lipstick Vogue"--

Don't say you love me when it's just a rumour
Don't say a word if there is any doubt.
Sometimes I think that love is just a tumour;
you've got to cut it out.

 

[Blues]

Alison

 

[Wrong Element]

This is funny: out of nowhere today, the lyrics of "Girls Talk" started running through my head. There are few songs that bring back my late adolescence more vividly...it's a great tune in spite of the fact that the best-known version is by Linda Ronstadt.